


Dammit!

by monkiainen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anger, F/F, First Kiss, Five Stages of Grief, Pre-Relationship, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23700001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monkiainen/pseuds/monkiainen
Summary: Andromeda feels like everything in her life is damned. Or is it?
Relationships: Andromeda Black Tonks/Luna Lovegood
Kudos: 6
Collections: Rare Pair Shorts Numbers Game 2020





	Dammit!

The war was finally over. Those who had been left behind were forced to survive in a world without their loves ones. And Andromeda had no idea how she could go on when everyone she had ever loved was dead.

Her husband. Her daughter. Her son-in-law. The only person left was her infant grandson who would never know his parents. Why? Why did it always have to be Andromeda? No more, she had said after the first war, and look at what had happened?

The remaining members of the Order asked if Andromeda would be able to house a couple of children from Hogwarts, only until they could figure out what had become of their families. Andromeda wasn't going to say yes, but then she realised those children were like her: alone in the world, lost, hurting. So Andromeda agreed, and her life changed.

At first, it felt like a huge mistake. The children were traumatised after the war, after witnessing the horrors Andromeda's sister had done. And Andromeda couldn't blame them, not when she knew first-hand how horrible Bellatrix could be. There were reasons why Andromeda had run away from her family as soon as it was possible. Slowly the children recovered.

But there was this one girl Andromeda couldn't get her eyes off. Her name was Luna, they said, and she was an ethereal beauty. It almost looked like the girl was too fragile for this world, but Andromeda soon discovered Luna had been kept prisoner in the Malfoy Manor and had witnessed many horrible things. And still, she was always smiling, always helping out others in her own way.

There was something soothing in Luna's presence, something that made Andromeda forget all about her losses for a while. It was comforting just to sit in Luna's presence without talking because somehow Luna seemed to understand all the things Andromeda couldn't force herself to say. Andromeda suspected the girl had some Seer blood in her, for how else could she know things no one else did? There was a certain mystery surrounding the young girl, and Andromeda wanted to know what it was.

Days, months went by. Then suddenly Andromeda realised it was the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, and she hadn't been thinking about her lost loved ones for a while now. What had she done? Why had she forgotten to mourn? Was her life more important than those that had been left behind? No. It wouldn't do.

Luna could watch after little Teddy while Andromeda did the thing she should have done months ago. A trip to Hogwarts to see where her daughter was buried alongside her son-in-law. Andromeda hadn't been able to visit Hogwarts, let alone Hogsmeade, after the battle. It hurt too much, there were so many good people that were dead. Andromeda had already gone through one war, why did she have to suffer through another one as well?

Later on, Andromeda couldn't tell any details about her trip. She just knew she had felt incredible sadness when she had visited the gravesite dedicated to those who hadn't survived the final battle. Then it was all black.

Luna was there when Andromeda woke up, with her soothing presence and kind words. Shh, Luna said, take it easy and rest. I'll take care of everything. You don't have to worry about anything. Andromeda didn't want to rest, didn't want to take it easy. There was so much to do, so many people looking up to her. She had no time to feel weak. But soon the exhaustion took over again, and Andromeda slept, slept, slept.

Andromeda had no idea how much time had passed when she finally woke up. What she did know, however, was that her mind felt much lighter, and much calmer than before. It was as if a curtain had been lifted off of her eyes before her eyes and she could finally see, could finally feel.

Lina smiled knowingly and told Andromeda her healing had finally started because Luna had been able to remove all the Firedrakes from Andromeda's house. While Firedrakes were pretty to watch, Luna said, they also breathed toxic fumes that would make a person doubt themselves and everything they were doing. Now Andromeda should concentrate on getting better. Luna would take care of everything.

And Luna did, although not in a way Andromeda would have done things. Maybe it was for the best because Luna seemed to be more efficient, even if her methods were sometimes a bit… bizarre. But everyone was happy again, and that was all that mattered. Teddy, the sweet Teddy boy whom everyone had thought to be mute, for the boy hadn't made a sound since he was born, was now laughing in earnest and playing games with Luna. And ever-changing his looks, copying Luna's silvery hair and the next moment the red of all the Weasleys that stopped by once in a while.

And Andromeda realised she had been living a lie for too long. No more.

One evening when Andromeda and Luna were the only ones left awake, Andromeda asked the question that had been weighing on her mind for quite some time:

Why me?

Because you were strong enough to endure it. Because you could be trusted. Because I love you.

Andromeda was speechless. What Luna was saying… didn't make any sense. How could anyone love her, after everything? She was just an old, bitter widow, who had lost everything. Luna could do better, she deserved much better.

But it's you who I want, Luna said, suddenly appearing older than her years. I want someone who has survived through more horrors than anyone could imagine. I want someone who knows first-hand what true cruelty is. I want someone who isn't afraid of showing their feelings. I want someone I know I could love.

Andromeda stepped closer, just a little bit, just enough that she could feel the warmth of Luna's body next to hers. It was so close, and yet so far away. Andromeda knew whatever she did next would change both of their lives irrevocably.

It was the sweetest kiss of her life.


End file.
